How to deal with depression, worry and other emotions after the election

How are you feeling? How do you really feel? As we go to the November 5, 2024 elections, as shown by a Harris Poll commissioned by the American Psychological Association that 77% of Americans surveyed were significantly stressed about the future of the country. So it’s safe to say that not everyone was positive about Tuesday’s voting results. In fact, many people are probably feeling stressed, down and even despondent about what could happen.

So what do you do when you’re feeling down? How do you make sure you take care of what should be your first priority: your health? Well, here are 10 things you can do:

1. Realize that you are not alone and seek the company of others who truly care about you

Unless you voted for a candidate like The Hulk, the “Flying Spaghetti Monster,” Supergirl, or “the fly on Mike Pence’s head,” you probably voted for a candidate that a lot of other people also voted for. Therefore, no matter how alone you feel right now, chances are you are not alone in how you feel. That means you probably have others you can go to and talk to. However, beware of those who do not allow you to express your true feelings and opinions. Coming into contact with them can make you feel even worse.

2. Consider distancing yourself from the news and social media

Now that the elections are over, there will be a lot of speculation about what might happen if power in the country changes hands. There will be many people with many different opinions. But they will all have one thing in common: they don’t know what will happen.

Look how wrong many of those so-called experts were about the election, which proves once again that no one has a crystal ball that can accurately predict the future. Being wrong certainly won’t stop the experts from coming up with more predictions that could keep you unnecessarily excited, anxious, or depressed. Remember, the goal of many of these messages is to get your attention, and selling fear can do that.

3. Try not to catastrophize

Of course, you may have valid concerns about what new leadership can do. Certainly, it is important that all American citizens be vigilant about what any political leader does. Certainly, it doesn’t take much for a country to descend into totalitarianism. Of course, you should never assume that your current rights and resources will always be there.

But there’s a difference between being vigilant and taking steps to protect your rights, versus assuming the worst will happen and curling up in a ball. You can always catastrophize and identify worst-case scenarios behind everything that happens in life. Oh well, the next time you go to the store, a hot air balloon might fall on you.

4. Realize that politicians are politicians and do not necessarily represent the people

Keep in mind what many politicians have primarily on their minds: themselves, themselves and… let’s see, what else? Oh, himself. Therefore, don’t try to give them more time and attention than they deserve. After all, they probably wouldn’t do that for you, right? Don’t hang on every word and follow what they say like a fangirl or fanboy. This is especially true if they tell you to hate other people, which can make you feel even more anxious, bitter, and isolated.

5. Try to treat politicians like babies or cartoon characters

Think of the movie The Water Boy, when the coach, played by Henry Winkler, was afraid of the opposing coach and overcame this fear by visualizing that coach as a baby? How about doing the same with all these oh-look-how-big-my-whatever political characters? After all, just because someone looks mature doesn’t mean he or she will act that way. You can also imagine them as cartoon characters such as Mr. Burns The Simpsons or Chester Cheetah.

6. Practice self-care and do things that make you happy

It can be tempting to drown your sorrows in alcohol or Nutella. While a little indulgence may be okay, don’t punish your body and mind. Once again, these politicians are not worth it. Don’t forget to do what you need to do to maintain your health, such as getting proper health checks and consulting your doctor. Try to get enough sleep, eat well and stay physically active. At the same time, do things that make you happy, unless of course this means consuming 10 jars of Nutella.

7. Put things in perspective and take them day by day

Again, the future is always full of uncertainty. You can never be sure what will happen next month, next week, or even in the next hour. Even if your favorite candidate had won, that alternate reality wouldn’t necessarily have been all unicorns, lollipops, and rainbows. The only thing you know for sure is what is happening here and now.

8. Use this as a learning experience. Don’t keep yourself in an echo chamber

Treat everything as a learning experience, especially the hard times, to help yourself become stronger and grow. That’s why you lift weights and not cotton balls to strengthen your muscles. One thing that should be crystal clear by now is that not everyone out there thinks the same way and has had the same experiences as you. Respect the diversity of our country. Ignoring different opinions will keep you in an ineffective echo chamber.

Another thing that should be clear is that many people have not been happy with the state of the US and its direction for some time now. Now discussions can arise about when the problems started – for example, years, decades or even centuries before – and who is to blame. But to believe that things have gone well for everyone would be a fruitcake image of the country.

Also, don’t believe that your favorite candidate and party can do no wrong. If they lost, significant changes need to be made. Otherwise, you can expect more of the same losses in the future. And if they won, don’t believe they won because everyone agreed with everything they said and did.

9. Take action instead Playing the victim role

It can be easy to adopt the woe is me stance and blame everything around you that cannot be easily changed. Saying things like “people are stupid” or “you can’t do anything about the power that exists” or “it controls everything” can be a bit like blaming your cat for everything and casting you in the role of victim.

Instead, think about how you can change things, even in small ways. For example, learn more about the political process and what can happen, raise awareness about it through posts on social media and other channels, do what you can to fight disinformation and disinformation, support the people and organizations fighting for people’s rights, science and facts, justice and society. You’d be amazed how little things can add up and make a big difference if you do it consistently over time. Oh well, who knows, you might one day become a candidate yourself.

10. Know when you need professional help

If all of these things are too much to handle after the election, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. The National Alliance for Mental Illness offers information about how to obtain such assistance, including the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) available Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM ET. If you find yourself unable to function or have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text the 988 Lifeline for suicide and crisis as quickly as possible. Again, no politician is worth hurting yourself for.